There are far more actors available then there are actors getting parts in blockbuster movies or top-tier TV shows, or even voiceover work. Famous cliche - wait

There are far more actors available then there are actors getting parts in blockbuster movies or top-tier TV shows, or even voiceover work. Famous cliche - waiting tables in Hollywood waiting to be noticed to get your break. Picking a known actor is also a marketing move, not just a talent/quality-selection move. (Sometimes it probably goes the other way too, e.g. if an actor is a fan of a game series and wants to be part of it.) The closest thing to your animated character question I can think of is in video games. There's a LOT of different versions of Link/Zelda/Mario/Sonic in different game editions. Where this falls in terms of "sequel" vs "reboot" vs "different Zelda character" is debatable, but here's where I think the connection to Hollywood actors comes in: reusing Link+Zelda instead of just re-using the game mechanics is a marketing play, just like having a famous actor. If you swapped characters and branding straight-up between Banjo Kazooie and Mario 64, which one would be better known today? There's also the light-reskin variant case in things like "Dr Mario", or fighting game characters, which fits more with the budget restriction aspect.